


Lost In Autumn

by orphan_account



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Amusement Parks, And Lots of It, Angst, Armin is a foreign student, Blood and Gore, Calm Before The Storm, Child Isabel Magnolia, Dark, Emotional Roller Coaster, Eren Yeager-centric, F/M, Furlan Church and Levi and Isabel Magnolia are Siblings, Gun Violence, Guns, Gunshot Wounds, Heavy Angst, I already did, I need to stop before I spoil something, I'm Bad At Titles, Insomnia, Insomniac Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), It's Not Paranoia If They're Really Out To Get You, Kidnapping, Levi & Eren Yeager Are Best Friends, Levi & Eren Yeager are the Same Age, Levi-centric (Shingeki no Kyojin), Light Sadism, Mild Gore, Minor Levi/Petra Ral, NOTHING IS PERMANENT BUT DEATH, Nerd Armin Arlert, Not Canon Compliant, Oops, Original Special Operations Squad | Squad Levi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, People swearing, Plot Twists, Protective Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Psychological Torture, Punk Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Reunions, Shit hits the fan in chapter three, Slow Burn, Sorry Not Sorry, Squad Levi isn't dead, Suspense, Tags Contain Spoilers, Tags May Change, Tea, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, What Have I Done, at least i hope so, oh no, sort of, the first chapter sort of sucks, these tags are a mess, trying not to spoil anything
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-10
Updated: 2018-03-03
Packaged: 2018-12-14 12:08:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11782863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: One autumn day, Isabel - the sister of an infamous former gang member, Levi - runs into a few people. Even though she is able to get away without immediate consequences, will there be ramifications for telling them just who her brother is?ORIn which Isabel (spoiler alert?) gets kidnapped and the kidnappers want a ransom for Levi (and Eren is stuck trying to find out where the kidnappers are hiding).





	1. Black and Red

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello readers!  
> This is a fanfiction set in the modern day in a place where the majority of police are shit at their jobs basically because there are too many crimes and gangs.  
> Don't worry, this story isn't as dry as I just depicted above. Haha. I'm also just really horrible at titles, I spent days trying think up a title for this story and the title is still shitty - but not as shitty as all the others, so there's a plus.
> 
> *No definite update schedules!

He finds himself walking on the sidewalk, by his friend Levi on the trip to pick up Isabel, Levi's sister.

A companionable silence. The autumn wind blows into them, red and orange leaves on the concrete. The sky is filled with dull grey clouds, small patches of blue present.

Levi wears a black hooded jacket, jeans, pure white sneakers and finger less gloves. While Eren has a long dark green furry coat on along with comfortable black jeans and black sneakers.

In the morning, Furlan, Levi's older brother, had explained he would be covering his friend's work shift for that day and that he wouldn't be able to pick up Isabel. And also that Levi would have to do it instead.

Eren was just tagging along (he has martial art classes every Tuesday and Thursday). 

"Oy, Eren. Don't you have homework still?" Levi looks over to him.

"Yeah. Don't  _you_ still have homework?"

"No," he smiles for a fraction of a second.

"I thought s - wait what?"

"I finished it two days ago."

"Well, shit." 

They soon arrive at Isabel's elementary school. It looks rather run down, even though it's actually considered decent in the city they live in. Cracks, present in the bricks that make up the walls, graffiti marks the concrete. Levi doesn't seem perturbed in the slightest - then again, that's the way most people in their neighborhood react (everyone but the grandma living two blocks over).

Their city is notorious for the almost everyday occurrence of a crime (to the point it's normal for two people to get mugged a day). The policemen being shit at their jobs didn't help anyone - though recently, Levi had heard things were starting to get better - he knows that the progress won't stay.

The two college students walk through the double doors of the school. Eren following Levi to Isabel's classroom, as he had only been with Levi to pick her up a handful of times.

"Onii-san!" Levi hears, before he feels a small body pelt his chest.

"It's nice to see you too." Levi says, the eye roll practically audible.

"Hello, Eren onii-san!"

"Hello." 

Eren doesn't think he'll ever understand why Isabel insists calling him that. He assumes it's just a thing that children do.

The three of them walk to Levi's residence (though Furlan pays the rent). Eren needs help with his homework (not really, it's more like an excuse to avoid his overprotective sister), so he's following Levi and Isabel again.

He can't help but feel a little like a lost puppy.

"Guess what? I scared off a gang today! They tried to mug me and I told them I was your sister and they ran off!" She says enthusiastically in the middle of her recitation of her day.

"Good job." Levi says unconvincingly.

Isabel makes a small frown.

"It's true! There were three of them and they were all wearing red and black," Isabel adds, sensing that Levi didn't believe her.

At her words, Levi stops in the middle of the side walk.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes! Of course I am!"

Levi furrows his eyebrows while Eren looks at his friend, with a confused expression on his face.

"...Alright, I believe you." Levi says.

Isabel pouts in dissatisfaction at his lack of commentary. 

The three of them continue walking, Levi acting like he hadn't just stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. 

They stop outside the gate of Furlan, Levi and Isabel's house. The gate is made of steel black bars, the yard, clean of fallen leaves. Even though the stone pathway of their house is cracked and old, the house itself is clean - Levi standards of clean.

Eren wordlessly trails behind the two of them after Levi locks the steel gates once again after opening it. 

It isn't Eren's first time there - in fact, he's been to the residence more than a few times. The room holds the smell of mint and tea, no doubt because of Levi.

"Isabel, go do your homework."

"Can't I do it tomorrow?" She whines a little.

"Tomorrow, you're going to ask to do it on Sunday. On Sunday, you'll say you're going to do it at night. On Sunday night, you're going to forget and on Monday morning, you'll have to explain your uncompleted homework to your teacher. Now go."

Isabel huffs and walks into to her room - muttering something that suspiciously sounds like "Furlan is a better big brother." Once Levi and Eren are in their preferred work space, Eren takes out his homework - until he remembers the earlier incident.

"Levi, what's the deal with people wearing red and black?"

"Well, it might've just been a coincident that they were all wearing red and black, but with how this neighborhood is, I doubt it." Levi pauses, " There's a gang of around twenty people - they all wear red and black. They hated the group I used to be in - probably still hate them. It's likely the members recognized my name and ran to report it to the head."

The fact Levi isn't part of the Freedom Corps anymore is not a well known fact.

"What can we do?" Eren asks, eyebrows scrunching up.

"Nothing." 

"Nothing?"

Eren lets himself fall back on his chair.

"Nothing but finish your fucking homework." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rest assured, the next chapter won't be boring :D  
> (Fun fact anyone?) I like to torture my favorite characters, now you know what kind of person I am.
> 
> Leave some comments or kudos if you liked it! :D  
> 


	2. Pistol

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Some rumors have been flying around, and we think you're being targeted," Hange's tone turns serious, "we just want you to be on guard."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, I lied. The REAL excitement doesn't start in this chapter, it starts next chapter. I should add "Slow Burn" to the tags.

It's three quarters after six at night. 

Eren leaves the mint and tea scented house into the cold night.

"See you at my place tomorrow for the reunion?" Asks Eren, a foot out the gate.

"Yeah yeah," Levi says, "see you then."

"Alright, see ya!"

Levi silently watches as he departs, a skip in his friend's steps because he had texted Mikasa an hour earlier and told her he'd be home before seven.

The short man retracts his arm to close the gate and proceeds to lock it up again.

He's wearing slightly over sized sandals, barefoot. He barely registers the cold of the fall night as he sighs, staring at the glowing stars in the sky a little too long. When he reaches the door, he pulls his gaze away from the perfect night, opening the door and closing it after going through.

He discretely slips off his sandals.

The tired college student makes his way to the kitchen to make a quick dinner. He silently chops the first vegetable he grabs out of the fridge - bok choy. Soon enough, he's cracking eggs into a skillet, dumping in the chopped bok choy. When everything is cooked, he decides to just dump in the left over rice from yesterday.

It's a weird combination, he knows. But he doesn't care.

"Brat! Dinner!" 

He soon hears rustling upstairs.

 

* * *

 

The clock is then closing in on half past seven.

Levi is washing dishes. 

Isabel has finished her homework and is watching the television in the next room over.

All is calm.

There's the quiet sound of water running in the kitchen, and the clank of plates being placed on drying racks.

Just as Levi is putting back a dry dish in the cupboard, his phone dings.

He quickly makes his way back to where he had last put his phone - but then he realizes he doesn't remember.

There's another ding, and he decides to follow the sound instead.

He finds his phone in his room. Grabbing it, he sits down on the bed. The bright screen of the phone lights up a part of the dark room.

It's a text from Hange.

Ever since he had told her he was leaving the Freedom Corps, she hadn't said anything to him.

**Hey! We're visiting you!  - 7:28 PM**

**Hello??  - 7:29 PM**

**Alright, we're just gonna let ourselves in then.  - 7:30 PM**

That's the only warning he gets before he hears a door swing open.

"Damn it," he curses, going down the stairs.

When he's at the bottom of the stairs, he's greeted with the sight of his friends.

"Well, I didn't think you'd have liked it if we broke the door, so I got Mike to pick the lock," says Hange, a bright smile on her face.

"What do you want, Four Eyes?"

"What made you think that we were doing anything but visiting you?"

"The fact you've got an extra knife on you right now."

She laughs, her voice resounding through the house.

"You got me!" She says, "But just so you know, I'm not planning to use it on you!"

"We're actually here to warn you about the Titan League," Eld speaks up.

"Yeah?" Levi's eyebrows narrow.

"Some rumors have been flying around, and we think you're being targeted," Hange's tone turns serious, "we just want you to be on guard."

"Alright, that all?" Levi carefully keeps his facial expression in check.

"Yeah," Petra appears from behind.

"Oh, hey." Levi hides his surprise at the sight of Petra, "I thought you said you were going to be away for the week?"

"No, I cancelled."

"Why, you miss me already?"

"N-No," she blushes furiously, "I -"

And that's how the rest of the day went, with the warning about the Titan League heavily, but silently, weighing on everyone's minds.

 

* * *

 

When the clock's short arm finally pointed at eight, his long time friends (and girlfriend) left.

Levi looks up at the clock on the wall. Counting the seconds ticking by out of habit.

The room is dark, the window hanging open. Isabel having fallen asleep on the couch a minute ago, he had turned off the television. The house is silent, magnifying the sound of the clock.

Feeling shivers start to crawl up his spine, he closes the window - louder than he would have liked.

_I was right. They're after us._

As he departs for a shower after the long day, the stair creaks with his steps.

_Be on guard._

He makes a quick detour, grabbing an illegal gun from his drawer. With how bad security is in the city, it isn't actually all that hard to get a hold of a firearm.

Levi holds the pistol by his side, walking in the dark. The hallway in front of him is dark, almost ominous - but he isn't a child who is afraid of the dark anymore. He walks to the bathroom, relying on muscle memory to get him there.

He exits later, hall a little darker than before.

Just like before, he lets his feet guide him to his room - but when he reaches the door, he hears a creak from behind him. The grip on his gun instantly tightens, the safety trigger is released.

The lights are suddenly on - and blindingly bright.

"Oh, hey Levi. Didn't see you there."

He recognizes the voice - it's only Farlan. He sighs, his grip on his pistol lessening as he discretely hides it away from his Farlan's view.

"Yeah, nice to see you."

"What were you doing -"

"Good night," he says bluntly, before walking into his room and shutting the door, light shining through the crack under his door to light up his otherwise, dark room.

"...Night." He hears Farlan say from outside.

Levi lets out a breath he hadn't known he had been holding, placing his pistol on the nightstand beside his bed. He sighs tersely, letting himself fall onto his bed with a a dull whump. The window curtains are closed.

He's been sighing a lot recently, hasn't he?

Levi closes his bleary eyes, wondering if he'll be able to have a good night's sleep today.

The weight of his pistol, still familiar in his hands - he can almost feel the cold metal in his palm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I accidentally spelled "tightens" as "titans" whoops.


	3. Paranoia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "We haven't been to the amusement park for a long time," states Eren.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, finally the chapter in which shit hits the fan. Yess.  
> I wanted to have something exciting happen in this chapter, which is why this one is a "little bit" longer.  
> Something you might want to know about me, is that I'm one of those writers that never have an outline. I'm basically going in blind. I just have an end game in mind (and I really want to write it, but I can't just skip to the end to write it).
> 
> From now on, I'm going to include educational facts in these notes (so you can say that reading some fanfictions are educational). I'm definitely not a doctor, but you can rest assured that this information isn't fake (writers sometimes have to do research to make sure they're writing is factually correct), why would I lie, anyway?
> 
> Fact: In this fic, Levi has Maintenance Insomnia - often, this disorder includes waking up too early or waking up in the middle of the night - in other words, it's the difficulty of staying asleep. It is often caused by anxiety - but in Levi's case in this fic, the reason for his Insomnia is trauma and stress. Stress being another major cause of Insomnia (in all types).
> 
> Oh, and if you live in Canada, happy autumn (I like clouds, why my skin gotta be so sunburn prone).
> 
> I'm going to stop holding you from reading this chapter (I hope you like it!)

He wakes up to the darkness of his room and as always, he's up too early. He's soon worrying about someone breaking in at night while they're all sleeping - he thinks he sounds paranoid and all too morbid, but he has to check.

Levi gets out of his bed, muscles still loose and tired from his few hours of sleep. 

He goes down the stairs and checks to see if all the windows are locked. He knows that the gate outside is locked - he's glad he remembered. The front door is locked like it usually is. He goes around and double checks the windows - the back door as well.

_Always so fucking paranoid._

He breathes out a heavy sigh and walks up the stairs to go back to his warm bed - until he remembers he hasn't checked the windows on the second floor. Discretely, he opens Isabel's door - her window is locked. Farlan's room doesn't have windows. He decides to check his own windows, better safe than sorry.

Everything seems to be secure. 

He wonders for a moment how he looks - walking around at an unholy hour in the morning. He knows he isn't going to be getting more sleep.

 _Gee, thanks for nothing, Insomnia,_ he thinks sarcastically.

Instead, he sits in bed, on his phone, taking comfort in the dim light that emits from the device. 

_Armin's flight landed forty minutes ago..._

Armin is a college student, just like him - except he's studying abroad all the way in America. The blond haired boy is visiting for a few days. Levi realizes that either Eren or Mikasa are probably on the drive back to their home after picking him up - or maybe Eren had woken Mikasa up because he didn't have a driver's license.

He snickered at the thought of Eren trying to shake Mikasa awake - he knew that the raven haired woman was not a morning person.

He contemplated whether or not he should text their group chat.

**Levi: have you guys picked up mushroom head yet? - 2:45 AM**

**Armin: Hey! my hair doesnt look like a mushroom! - 2:45 AM**

**Armin: I got a trim 2 days ago - 2:46 AM**

He sends a picture of himself and Eren - they're both in the back seat.

**Levi: you look the same. - 2:47 AM**

**Eren: ADMIT IT he looks less like a mushroom now - 2:47 AM**

**Levi: armin looks less like a mushroom now. - 2:47 AM**

**Armin: that didnt sound very sincere. - 2:48 AM**

**Levi: i'm going to go ahead and assume you're on your way home? - 2:48 AM**

**Eren: yeah we are - 2:49 AM**

**Levi: okay, i'll see you later then. i have to go. - 2:49 AM**

He excuses himself from the conversation - really, he just wants to go have some tea. Whatever, he'll be seeing them in a four hours anyway to have breakfast.

**Armin: ok, c you then - 2:49 AM**

**Eren: cya - 2:50 AM**

Levi realized that the two of them had probably been texting beside each other - he smirks a little at the image.

He leaves his room, phone in hand, on the stairs for the third time that hour. He drops his phone unceremoniously on the kitchen counter before boiling water to make tea. 

He dumps a heap of sugar into his cup along with the water he cooked. He grabs a tea bag and drops that in as well. Levi turns the stove off and grabs a teaspoon from the drawer of utensils.

 

* * *

 

It's finally morning, and not "closer to midnight than the afternoon" morning. By now, he's had at least three cups of tea - now, he's holding the fourth cup of tea by the rim. 

He hears a yawn.

"Morning." 

It's Farlan.

"Good morning," he answers, just so he doesn't seem like a jackass.

"Wow, this place smells even more like tea than before," he remarks.

"At least it doesn't smell like your clothes from yesterday." 

 _So much for trying to not be a jerk first thing in the morning,_ he thinks, but he doesn't apologize.

Farlan only laughs. 

"I'm going to be away until around six, try not to burn anything down while I'm away, capiche?" Levi looks towards Farlan.

"Yeah yeah, have a nice day."

Levi hums, as if to say the same to his adoptive brother.

The raven haired college student takes a flight of stairs up to change into a grey jacket with black sleeves and navy blue jeans. By the time he's finished, it's just about time for him to leave.

The short man waves goodbye to Farlan, while Isabel is at the stairs rubbing the sleep out her eyes while waving.

He's carrying his gun in his back pocket - partially covered by his grey jacket. He also decides to bring his wallet - just in case the others want to go somewhere or some shit. 

He begins to walk to Eren and Mikasa's apartment, even though he has a motorcycle - just because he wants a little time to himself before he's stuck with his friends.

The morning breeze feels cool against his pale cheeks. The sky is slightly grey and he's glad - because he's  _not_ carrying sunscreen. His skin burns easily, it wouldn't do to get a sunburn.

The autumn leaves litter the sidewalk. The rain hasn't plastered them to the ground yet. 

He soon reaches his friend's apartment after entering the huge building it's located in. 

_Number 78._

In shining gold letters, on the door, is the number 78. He lets out a sigh, before raising his hand to ring the doorbell. 

Ten seconds later, the door is swinging open. 

"Yo, Eren."

The brunette's hair is ruffled up, surely due to having been asleep until an hour ago.

"Hey." Eren invites him inside, "Mikasa just finished with breakfast."

 

* * *

 

It's a quarter past eight - and they're playing Monopoly (even though the side of the box says it's for ages 8+ and they're just about twice that age).

The game goes quickly with the speed die, Eren somehow lands on both Boardwalk and Park Place before he's even had five turns - and because he overheard Armin muttering he's much too lucky, he decides he'll buy both properties - seems he's already lost half of his money to the bank.

Levi is somehow pulled into the game as well - unwillingly. He ends up landing on the Community Chest and Chance half his turns - and each time, he's lucky and gets loads of money. He owns the Electric and Water Company - Armin still thinks it's a little suspicious how he owns so much money.

Mikasa owns all the railroads but the Reading Railroad - she's a little pissed that Armin was able to get it before her.

Armin bankrupts Eren all too quickly - perhaps because he was targeting him. Levi wonders what kind of shit he pulled to get Eren to land on the properties with the hotels on them several times to rid him of his paper money - Mikasa catches Eren in the act of trying to steal money from the bank.

By the middle of the game, It's already quarter past eleven. Levi votes Armin as the winner, so does Mikasa - they didn't want the game to drag on for too long - besides, everyone was hungry.

Not that they were about to show it.

"Where do you guys want to go?" asks Mikasa.

"We haven't been to the amusement park for a long time," states Eren. 

Armin sighs - he just wishes they won't drag him onto a roller coaster, but he knows that his wish will not be fulfilled.

"We could stop by a place to pick up some food." Mikasa says thoughtfully - the amusement park is at least a thirty minute drive.

"I guess it's decided then."

 

* * *

 

They eat at a fast food place near the park - except Levi couldn't take the oily food and had to got to the place next door for a sandwich.

"So, what do you guys want to do first?"

They vote on the roller coaster (of course), fortunately, they all brought their wallets (and fortunately, Levi was tall enough to go on).

Armin screams the whole ride. Eren _tries_ not to. Mikasa only sits there with her hands clutched on the rails. Levi can only think he's feeling a little nauseous. By the end, everyone is second guessing their choice to eat before getting on.

So next, they go on something without the bright flashing lights and dizzying path.

It's a small canal leading into a tunnel, and there are boats designed for five people - they request to be in one as just the four of them. The ride manager allows it, but only because the ride isn't all that busy compared to the roller coaster - which has a long line of people.

It seems that the park has taken out the darker rides to prepare for Halloween. The four of them climb into the small boat, the gun in Levi's back pocket, still safely concealed.

The boat is made of wooden planks - as they step in, it wobbles a little in the water. He assures himself it's safe, being the last to get on.

"Ready?" 

Eren nods his head before Levi can change his mind about getting on the ride. 

The electric paddles on the boat begin to work, a low humming accompanying the sound of sloshing water.

Gentle music begins to flood the air as they near the dark tunnel - the boat seemed to be programmed to go that way. Levi calms his beating heart -  _it's just a fucking river._

"Hey, this isn't so bad," Armin remarks.

 _No, it's not that bad,_ Levi tells himself. He decides he likes the music going on in the background - until it abruptly stops.

The boat goes still - though it rocks slightly. The water creates a sound that he decides he does  _not_ like. His heart seems about ready to jump out of his chest. The darkness is both an advantage and disadvantage, they can't see him, but he can't see them - and for that matter, nothing else.

He feels his chest go uneasy with the silence - he wishes someone would talk.

It reminds him of -  _no, don't think about it._

"You think the something went wrong with the electricity?" Eren is the first to talk.

Just as he says that, the tunnel brightens, and Levi can see a screen. On it, says:

**Left or Right?**

Armin reads the question out loud. 

"I say left." Mikasa says, rather unconcerned.

"Well...I guess...right," Armin says, unsure of why they had to choose.

"I choose the other one." Eren says - he actually just doesnt know which to choose.

"I'll go with left." Levi says, his heart beat already steadying, he's glad his voice doesn't waver.

"Then left it is." Mikasa leans forward and presses the button on their left.

The boat promptly begins to move again, and the music starts up again. They reach a rack of "flashlights," above, is a sign that gives them instructions.

"Flash the light at the ghosts for points, huh?" Armin says.

 _At least we aren't using guns,_ Levi thinks.

The short man grabs a flashlight, labeled with the letter C. Eren gets A, Mikasa gets B, Armin gets C.

When they've picked out both, Mikasa pushes the left button again as instructed by the sign she had read to continue on the ride.

At the end, Levi came out with the most points - 13 in total. Mikasa was a close second with 11, Eren only had 8, because either Mikasa or Levi would shoot down the ones he saw before he could, and Armin had 0 - he hadn't really tried.

 

* * *

 

They get into the car after a few other rides and games - and by then, they're all ready to go home.

Levi can still feel the pistol in his back pocket.

"I feel like shit," says Eren.

Mikasa nods in agreement, so does Armin but Levi only smirks. They had had too much cotton candy and junk in a day.

So they start driving home, with Mikasa in front of the wheel and Levi in the seat beside her. Eren and Armin sit in the passenger seats. The car's built in clock says the time is quarter past five. 

"I'll drop you off at your house so you won't have to walk all the way," says Mikasa.

"Thanks, I appreciate it," Levi says flatly.

The radio is blasting loudly in the car, a popular song playing. Eren and Armin sing along like idiots in the back seat. 

Levi feels unereved with a gun in his back pocket, even with a love song playing at full blast, it doesn't feel right. He feels odd, but it isn't as if he can do anything about it.

He wonders how Isabel and Farlan are doing.

The car stops right in front of his house.

"This is your place, right?" Mikasa asks.

"Yeah, thanks -" he waves them goodbye, before unlocking his gate with the keys he always has - only to realize the gate is already unlocked. He stares, puzzled, but passes it off as a blunder made by either himself or Farlan.

But when he's gone down the rocky stone path, he can't help but feel a strange pit in his stomach. 

Something is wrong, he knows it. 

But a tiny voice in him tells him it's just paranoia.

Whatever the feeling in his chest is, it's bothering him. His steps become hasty, the front door is unlocked as well.

Something is wrong, yet his mind isn't fully processing that thought - and what it could mean. 

He steps in.

"Farlan, Isabel, I'm home." He calls out, and waits for Isabel to come tumbling down the stairs to say she missed him.

Ten seconds, still nothing. 

"Farlan, you didn't burn anything down, did you?" 

No answering voice reaches his ears.

"Farlan? Isabel?"

He searches, only to come up with nothing. The heavy feeling in his abdomen only worsens with dread. He clambers up the stairs.

But when he reaches his room's door, he finds a paper, stuck firmly on with a piece of tape.

He gently peels it off, not taking his eyes off the piece of paper.

**ISABEL'S SCHOOL. TOMORROW 5:00 AM. TELL ANYONE AND FARLAN DIES.**

The handwriting is unfamiliar - but he knows the two thumb prints belong to Farlan and Isabel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll admit that the way Levi texts is the same way I text (to friends) - everything is under cased, everything is spelled the right way, punctuation is on point - comas, periods, question marks, apostrophes and shit, but you'll never find an exclamation mark or emoji unless something in life finally went right and you're happy as fuck. Capital letters are only there when auto-correct is on - ha.  
> I also like Monopoly, I'm a weird kid.
> 
> I felt like giving a little history lesson, so here you go:  
> Levi was adopted as a child by Farlan's mother and father after they found out that their biological son wanted a brother (Farlan's mother was having difficulty conceiving at that time, but several years later, Isabel was born as Farlan's sister). Farlan's parents died in a plane crash when he was nineteen. Technically being an adult, he became Levi and Isabel's guardian.
> 
> You'll find out later how Levi's parent's died - tragic. Levi's likes and dislikes are slightly based on mine, because I find it easier to describe something I understand (like the fear of drowning/water, I can't swim - except Levi's fear of water is a lot more intense due to other reasons that you'll find out in later chapters).
> 
> I love angst if you haven't already noticed - hehe. I also like chocolate, so send me lots of virtual chocolates.


	4. Reverie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> His siblings are right before him - and he knows that that's an impractical thing to be thinking, but he's quite sure his eyes aren't lying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about not posting last week!  
> I couldn't find motivation to write because I'm constantly tired, but now I'm back and posting (even though this story doesn't get very many hits, I enjoy writing this fic).  
> Fun fact: The archaic meaning of "reverie" is a fanciful or impractical idea or theory (which fits this chapter more).  
> The more common/modern meaning of "reverie" is to be lost in a daydream or musing.

He's staring at the bloody paper in his hands still. That little thumb print beside the larger one -  _who's blood is that?_ It's not paint, he wishes it was, but it's not. A slight metallic smell wafts from the paper.

**TELL ANYONE AND FARLAN DIES.**

He re-reads.

_They can't have eyes on me, can they?_

Maybe it's just an empty threat. But he can't risk telling someone, he simply can't.

He can't lose his remaining family.

~~_"When you grow up, become a responsible young man, and cherish your family, okay Levi?"_~~

~~_"I already do."_ ~~

He lifts himself off the ground, movements almost calm. He drops the small note on his desk. He suddenly doesn't want to stand up anymore, so he lets himself drop.

He grabs his phone and starts to play a song on it. (SonReal - Problems...play it now!)

He turns the sound the highest it can go and slips it into his hoodie's pocket.

Levi makes himself stand and he closes all the blinds. Cutting off the now pale orange lights of the late afternoon. The room is completely dark - it's almost as if his eyes are shut.

If only he could shut his eyes and not see  _her._

He wishes Petra were beside him. She'd definitely know what to do - but even if she didn't, she'd comfort him and tell him everything would be fine.

Paranoia is yet again creeping into his senses - he faintly realizes that Eren has left him a text.

**Eren: dude you forgot your wallet - 3:56 PM**

**Eren: we re at your front door - 3:56 PM**

**Levi: why didn't you knock? - 3:56 PM**

**Eren: we did - 3:57 PM**

He leaves his phone in his room.

Levi goes down the strangely empty staircase.

To the front door and opens it a bit too abruptly.

"Hey!" Eren greets.

"Here's your wallet, we're returning it even though you've got basically nothing in there," Mikasa deadpans.

"Thanks," Levi says. He takes it into his hands, and immediately recognizes a small smiley face on the front - that Isabel drew on it a month ago.

"Are Isabel and Farlan here? It's been a while since I've seen them," Armin remarks.

"No. They're uh, at the park."

"Riverview? That's not too far from here, let's go," Mikasa said.

 _Fuck._ Levi thought.

But they were already headed towards the car again.

"You coming, Levi?" Eren asked, a little confused.

"...yeah. Let me just get my phone."

He dropped his wallet on the couch before walking back up the stairs.

_They can't know. Dammit, it's been less than a fucking hour._

He hastily grabbed his phone, the song on it having ended sometime ago.

All he can think about is how he'll fix this dilemma he's gotten himself and everyone he cares about into.

He's suddenly back at the bottom of the stairs, following his friends to their car to sit in the front seat.

"So how old is Isabel now?" Armin questions.

"She's eight, but she insists on eight and a half."

Armin laughs a little, "Last time I saw her, she was seven and a half!"

"Seven and a quarter actually."

Afterwards, Levi is internally panicking. The fact that he's lied to his friends for "no reason" - they'll find out he doesn't know where Isabel and Farlan are.

_Tell anyone and Farlan dies._

He doubts things are going to go very well.

The car engine rumbles softly and the park is quickly approaching. It's now in his sight, the grassy green ground and the tall swaying trees. He feels a pit in his abdomen that he can't really describe. His heart is soon sinking into that pit, as Mikasa parks the car.

"We're here," Mikasa announces.

The four of them climb out the car, Levi more reluctantly.

The park is filled with people, children, parents, couples. Several picnics, scattered around the park. 

"Huh, I don't see them anywhere..." Eren says at the entrance of the park.

Levi doesn't bother helping them look, he knows that Isabel and Farlan aren't there - his friends don't mind.

"Wait, wait...I think I see them," Eren says.

Levi, for a moment, thinks that Eren's bad eyesight is just tricking him again.

"Oh, yup. There they are," Armin says.

 _That's not possible,_ Levi thinks, even though his eyes say otherwise.  _I think I've fallen into a reverie._


	5. Don't Let Them Catch You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Was it all a bluff?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Despite me saying I'd include an educational fact each chapter, I ended up not researching for this chapter at all, so no educational fact this chapter haha.

There Isabel sits, in the swing set made for children, Farlan standing just beside her.

Farlan looks up and spots Levi, Eren, Mikasa and Armin in the clearing. He waves to them,

 _So...that note was a bluff?_ It's too good to be true.  _I'm dreaming, this whole fiasco is a dream and I'm going to wake up in three seconds to find out I woke up too early again._

But three seconds have come and gone already, and he's soon walking up to the small playground.

To say the least, he's feeling a little skeptical.

 _What's going on?_ He wishes to ask Farlan, but Farlan, of course, can't answer him - because he doesn't hear him.

"Hey, long time no see," says Farlan, patting Armin's back the moment he comes close enough.

"Yeah, how've you been? I heard you're getting promoted soon?" They continue going back and forth, Mikasa and Eren slipping in commentary.

"It's good to see you, Isabel!" Armin crouches where Isabel sits in the swing set. 

Isabel offers him a grin, "You too! Where did you go?" 

"I went to a college in America," Armin says to her enthusiastically.

"What's a college? And was America boring?"

Levi stands there, staring at the tree beside the playground they're currently standing in - or rather, the one standing behind it. Piercing blue-grey eyes peeking from behind the trunk. 

There's something unnerving about the blonde woman.

"Ah, where did the yellow haired lady go?" Isabel suddenly snaps Levi out of his staring, he pulls his gaze away from however the one standing behind the tree was.

And then it hits him like a bag of bricks - they've met the blonde behind the tree trunk. 

"She must have had to leave," said Farlan, eyes fleeting, but no one notices but Levi.

"Aw, she was nice. Think we'll see her again?"

"Yes, and her hair wasn't yellow, she was blonde," Farlan says, a nervous tint to his voice, he laughs dryly.

"Oh yeah, that's what I meant."

Farlan's eyes flicker back and forth Levi and Isabel - that's when Levi see Farlan's bandaged right hand. That's also the moment Eren chooses to become aware of it as well.

"Something wrong with your hand?" Eren asks.

"Yeah, why d'you think it's wrapped up? A little early for Halloween, don'tcha think?" Farlan lets them laugh, before dismissing the matter, "Nah, it's an occupational hazard. Knife slipped and I cut myself."

Strange, considering Farlan had been trained to use a knife while becoming a police officer. But either Armin, Eren and Mikasa don't notice the slip in his excuse, or they ignore it.

"We'd better go, park's closing soon," says Farlan. 

"You're right - anyway, it was nice seeing you two again!" Armin says, smiling.

"You to, visit soon, yeah?"

"Bye bye!" Isabel waves, as the trio consisting of Eren, Mikasa and Armin walk away. Levi waves as well, but can't help but notice the look on Farlan.

When his friends are out of sight, he turns toward his brother - before he's able to say anything, Farlan begins to speak.

"Levi, they want you. So no matter what, don't come to Isabel's school tomorrow."

Levi is taken aback. 

"They aren't letting me go either way, I've already seen their faces - they're not taking that chance." Farlan finishes.

"W-What? Then what am I supposed to do?"

Farlan doesn't anything - as three people, staring directly at them come into view. 

Something drops into Levi's hands, and he barely hears it when Farlan says, "Don't let them catch you."

He pushes him away, but that's all incentive Levi needs - he can't outgun three people. So he takes off at a sprint. 


	6. Farlan's Will

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Levi: if i went missing or something, what would you do? - 6:22 PM**
> 
> **Eren: think i was being pranked on probably - 6:22 PM**
> 
> **Eren: and then id flip over some pebbles in case you were living under any - 6:22 PM**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nothing too big in this one.
> 
> But worry not, the next chapter will probably be a lot more uh, eventful.

His heart is palpitating, he wishes it would stop.

Nobody is chasing after him, they're confident he'll come meet them tomorrow.

He's not so sure about going anymore.

...

He reaches Eren and the others and asks for a ride with the excuse Isabel wants to stay a little longer, they accept without a fuss - other than Mikasa muttering something about feeling like a chaperone just because she's the only one with a car license. 

They drop Levi off at his house with a wave of goodbye and just like that, they're gone.

And he's alone again.

In his hand, he's still clutching what Farlan shoved into his hands.

A paper, it has his will.

Farlan's will.

It's crumpled and the hastily written words are near indistinguishable. He isn't going to read it, he won't. He'll find some way to save his brother and Isabel. He needs to.

Levi doesn't know what he'll do if they don't  _can't_ come back.

Maybe he'll run faraway where no one will be able to find him, maybe he'll swear revenge and devote his life to hunting down their killers - he doesn't see either of those possibilities coming true.

He'd probably jump off the Eiffel Tower.

It's not going to come to that, besides, he doubts he'd have the courage to carry through a plan like that.

Instead of continuing his train of thought, he sets down the Will on the work desk in his room.

**ISABEL'S SCHOOL. TOMORROW 5:00 AM. TELL ANYONE AND FARLAN DIES.**

He wills himself not to scream in agitation ~~trepidation~~  and lets gravity pull him backwards to fall on his bed's soft coverings.

Levi makes himself sit up, staring at his phone.

Should he tell someone?

Then he'll at least have some help saving them - but the moment the Titans League finds out, Farlan will... well, if he does that, he might as well be killing Farlan himself.

He falls backward again, but he keeps the phone in one of his hands, holding it away from his face.

The sky grows darker, the autumn night sky emerges slowly.

A notification sounds from his phone, it's Eren.

**Eren: జ్ఞ‌ా - 6:13 PM**

**Levi: you realize i don't have an iphone right? - 6:13 PM**

**Eren: fuck - 6:14 PM**

**Levi: how could you try to sabotage me - 6:14 PM**

**Levi: and how long have we been friends - 6:14 PM**

**Levi: you should know my phone preferences by now - 6:14 PM**

**Eren: hey, you cant blame me - 6:14 PM**

**Eren: youre the super secretive one - 6:15 PM**

**Eren: it literally took me 1 month to figur out what tea you drink - 6:15 PM**

**Levi: actually, two months. - 6:15 PM**

**Eren: ...youre gloating right now arent you - 6:15 PM**

**Levi: i can't say that i'm not. - 6:16 PM**

**Levi: wait, doesn't mikasa have an iphone - 6:17 PM**

**Eren: yeah - 6:18 PM**

**Levi: have you already sent it to her - 6:18 PM**

**Eren: of course - 6:19 PM**

**Eren: but i think her phone is immune or something - 6:19 PM**

**Eren: shit - 6:19 PM**

**Eren: So r Isabel and farlan home yet? - 6:20 PM**

Levi types out "no," stopping his thumb before he can click the send button. He erases the two lettered word and replaces it with a four lettered word.

**Levi: yeah. - 6:20 PM**

...

**Levi: eren - 6:21 PM**

**Eren: ye? - 6:21 PM**

**Levi: if i went missing or something, what would you do? - 6:22 PM**

**Eren: think i was being pranked on probably - 6:22 PM**

**Eren: and then id flip over some pebbles in case you were living under any - 6:22 PM**

**Levi: wow, what a great friend you are. - 6:23 PM**

**Eren: i know, im the best. - 6:23 PM**

**Eren: what would YOU do if i went missing or something - 6:24 PM**

**Levi: lure you out with a puppy - 6:24 PM**

They go on insulting each other for the rest of the day, the subject never gets redirected to Isabel and Farlan.

Eren leaves the chat at 8:00 PM and Levi's room is quiet again. Armin is planning to leave on Tuesday, he doesn't want to miss too much in his studies - even though he's at the top of his class for all the academic studies. He's lucky he doesn't have physical education as part of his studies, otherwise he'd flunk. 

Time passes by as he tries to make up his mind about his crisis.

 

**8:30 PM**

**...**

**9:34 PM**

**...**

**11:50 PM**

**...**

**12:20 AM**

**...**

**3:19 AM**

 

He's going. He has to. 

That's the only conclusion he's come up within what, 7 hours? 8?

There's no loophole, no way around it, he has to go. But he has a bit of a plan - not that it's a very smart one.

Levi gets up, he's still in his day clothes, he'd forgotten.

 

**3:50 AM**

 

He makes sure he has his pistol and "package" with him. 

He steps out of his home and mounts his motorcycle.

The autumn wind blows at him as he speeds along the road, morning sky still gloomy.


End file.
